


Smoke & Mirrors

by WonderTwinC



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-25
Updated: 2015-10-12
Packaged: 2017-11-02 12:13:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/368862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderTwinC/pseuds/WonderTwinC
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mary Margaret paused when she opened the front door of her home and wrinkled her nose. A possible series of the trials and tribulations of Emma Swan loving Regina Mills.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Word prompt of 'cigarette'. Somehow it turned into this.

Mary Margaret paused when she opened the front door of her home and wrinkled her nose.

There was smoke.

A cursory look around was enough for her to see that nothing was on fire or had been (as far as she could tell) but the smell was too strong to be anything but recent. She moved through the apartment with ease, finding nothing, until there was only one more place to look.

Worry settled in her gut like a boulder as she gently pushed open the last door with a soft call of, “Emma?”

The blonde was lying back on her bed with a cigarette in one hand and a full ashtray as her companion. In the months since Emma’s arrival smoking had never been an issue. Now that it was Mary Margaret was unsure of how to proceed.

“Is something wr-“

“It’s Regina.”

“Regina? Did something happen-“

“I hate her,” Emma growled out, stamping the cigarette out in the ashtray with a sigh that was more like a pure exhale of smoke. Confusion broke out on the other woman’s face as she stared at her roommate, eyebrows coming together as she tilted her head.

“You’re smoking because you hate Regina?” Mary Margaret asked quietly.

There was a pause and then the sound of rustling plastic as another cigarette was picked up.

“No.”

Now the teacher was even more confused as she stared at her friend. “No? Then-“

“I’m smoking because I love her.”

Mary Margaret didn’t have time to feel offended or confused beyond that point. Love was infuriating. Love was just as beautiful as it was damaging.

“Mind if I join you?” she asked in a quiet voice.

Her only response was a smile and the offered cigarette. 


	2. Smack That

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Word prompt of 'spatula'.

She is oddly domestic.

It’s comforting when taken into consideration that her version of cooking is usually burnt toast or a can of soup. Emma is standing in the doorway like a huntsman looking at his prey while she watches Regina cook their dinner. Henry is out playing with Grace and for the moment the huge house is theirs.

Smiling, she steps into the kitchen and to get a peak around the other woman’s shoulder to see what she has cooking. There is a few things she doesn’t recognize in the skillet but then she notices a piece of bacon and her heart soars.

Without thought Emma reaches into the pan to snatch it only to have a spatula brought down on her hand with enough force to make it sting. Instantly she pulls back, brow furrowed as she stares at her girlfriend.

“What was that for?” Emma grouses, rubbing her hand to relief some of the redness.

Regina turns to look at her with one hand on her hip and the other pointing the offending object toward the blonde. “That was for being impatient, Ms. Swan.”

The mayor’s grin is purely wicked.

“Next time it won’t be on the hand.”


	3. the space between us grows and grows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Word prompt of 'distance'.

There is space between them.

A gap so vast that not even a bridge could span the length. Emma isn’t sure where the crack came from or how it got there. All she knows is that with each passing day it grows and grows into a break that she doesn’t understand how to fix.

One minute she was proposing and the next she was out on the sidewalk with all of her things in the back of her yellow bug.

They were happy. A family when Henry was added to the mix.

Emma doesn’t know where they went wrong, but she never expected a single ring to create such distance.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "cop/person getting a speeding ticket" au.

“This is ridiculous!” the dark haired woman in the black mercedes was not the type of person Emma wanted to deal with so early in the morning.

“Ma’am, you were going sixty in a forty-five.”

The woman huffed, narrowing her dark eyes. “It’s not my fault you have such an absurd speed limit. Honestly, who goes forty-five on an open highway?”

Well, now Emma knew never to skip her morning coffee again.

Lesson learned.

“Ma’am, absurd or not, I’m going to need to see your driving license and proof of registration and insurance.”

Emma watched as the other woman dug around in her purse, mumbling angrily under her breath the entire time until she shoved the paperwork out the window.

Regina Mills.

“There, are you satisfied?”

Blinking, Emma looked up into the disgruntled face of the other woman. “I’m going to have to write you a ticket, Ms. Mills.”

“A ticket?” Regina snapped, her tone so cold that Emma felt a chill run down her spine. “I am not going to accept any such thing. I demand to speak to your supervisor.”

Emma grinned, leaning down until she was eye level with the other woman. “You’re looking at her. Sheriff Emma Swan, at your service.” 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "things you said after I died".

“It’s going to be okay,” Regina whispered, holding Emma’s body against her chest. Concrete scraped uncomfortably against her dress pants - tearing at the skin underneath as she shifted on her knees, inches from the town line. “Everything is going to be fine, I can fix this, I can-”

Emma huffed, her blood stained lips twisting into something that resembled one of her old smiles, sad but knowing… because Emma knew. She always knew. “Regina,” her voice cracked, the first few syllables of Regina’s name barely audible. 

And somehow that made it worse. 

“Emma, I can-”

“Regina, no,” she argued, breathless and in pain, but still so very determined. Still… _Emma_. “This is - this is good. This is how it should be,” she squeezed the hand that rested against her fading heart. Emma closed her eyes. “It’s a fairytale ending, you know?” she quipped, her body trembling. 

Regina swallowed against the lump forming in her throat. “How is this a fairytale, Swan?” she snapped, desperation tinging her words. 

Emma opened her eyes, but the color was all wrong - a hollowed out version of how vibrated they had always been before. “Don’t you know?” she teased, voice fading out somewhat as she swallowed. “The white knight dies in the arms of the queen.”

Her eyes closed as she took another shallow, trembling half breath. Her fingers curled around Regina’s. Her heart slowed . “Your majesty.”

“Emma, no-” Regina shook her, her expression twisting into one of anger as her vision blurred with tears. “Don’t you dare die on me, Swan. Do you hear me?” 

Large, hot tears rolled down her cheeks as she shook Emma one last time, but it was too late.

Emma Swan existed no more.


End file.
